Roast Pepper & Cashew Pesto Pasta

A subtly sweet and nutty Mediterranean style pesto pasta.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword capsicum, cashew, peppers, pesto

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings - 6

Calories 416kcal

Author Lauren

Put the garlic cloves into the centre of a square sheet of foil. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Pull the corners of the foil together and scrunch to make a pouch.
Place the garlic pouch and quartered peppers into an air fryer (skin side down), roast for 10 minutes at 180°C/350°F. Then cook for a further 10 minutes with the skin side up. Put aside to cool. Once cooled, remove the skins and set aside. (Note 5)

Add all the pesto ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the ingredients are mixed but still have a chunky texture. Set aside for when the pasta is cooked.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, reserve a cup of pasta water and strain the pasta.

Put the large saucepan back onto the stove over medium-high heat and add the spare teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the diced onion, cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden and soft.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool for 1 minute. Add the pasta, pesto and 1/4 cup of pasta water to the saucepan and mix well. If you find the pesto still too thick for your liking, add more pasta water (about 1 tablespoon at a time) until you reach your desired consistency.
Serve immediately with extra grated parmesan and a side salad. Enjoy!

Red Peppers - You can use jarred roasted red peppers to reduce the time, look for one that is low in sodium and sugar. If they are jarred in an oil, I recommend rinsing the peppers first to remove the excess oil, as it was add to the fat content.
Cashews - Can easily be substituted for more chickpeas, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds in the event of a nut allergy.
Parmesan - Substitute for vegan parmesan or 1-2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
Pulse Pasta - You don't need a lot of pasta for this recipe as it is deceptively filling. Some pulse pastas available at the supermarkets are also gluten free.
Oven Conversion - If using a conventional oven, roast at 200°C/390°F for 12-15 minutes on both sides, or until the skin starts to blacken and come loose.
Storage - The pesto should last for roughly 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer. You can also freeze the pesto with the pasta, just allow to cool before putting into the freezer.
Nutrition - Calculated per serve, assuming 4 serves using pulse pasta.